Thermometers

[Barbarian]

Been using a Maverick for a couple of years and since I am building a UDS, I was wondering what the best, most reliable and accurate smoker thermometer? The big dial type you attach to the smoker. Do they come where you can calibrate them?

 

[jtfisher63]

http://www.teltru.com/barbecue.asp

I've got the BQ575, it's bad arse!

 

[Norcoredneck]

You san recalibrate these. Tel-tru are one of the best and you pay for it. Keep in mind that a dial which sticks in @ 4" is going to run average 50 degrees below center grate on a UDS.


http://www.spicewineironworks.com/M...iw&Product_Code=thermometer&Category_Code=acc

 

[chinesebob]

Keep in mind that a dial which sticks in @ 4" is going to run average 50 degrees below center grate on a UDS.

I have the spicewine on my UDS. What do you mean by this? That the temp on the dial is going to be about 50 degrees below what the temp actually is? Sorry if this seems obvious.

 

[Norcoredneck]

I have the spicewine on my UDS. What do you mean by this? That the temp on the dial is going to be about 50 degrees below what the temp actually is? Sorry if this seems obvious.

I have temp sensors that I put on my grill and it is @ 30-50 degree delta between gauge and closer to center (directly over fire). I think this is why a lot of people say the drums cook faster. I shoot for about 200 on my gauge when I cook.

 

[nmayeux]

Are the Spicewines Tel-Trus??? Any way, I like my Tel-Tru analog on the pit, my Nu-Temp remotes, and the best is the ORANGE Thermapen!

 

[CajunSmoker]

You san recalibrate these. Tel-tru are one of the best and you pay for it. Keep in mind that a dial which sticks in @ 4" is going to run average 50 degrees below center grate on a UDS.


http://www.spicewineironworks.com/M...iw&Product_Code=thermometer&Category_Code=acc

I dropped a probe through the vent on my weber lid on the UDS yesterday after I took my meat off and you are dead on right. I was running at 235 - 240 on the pit thermometers and the digital probe said it was more like 300 in the center. I didn't notice it until I had finished cooking and just dropped my meat probe through the daisy wheel for the heck of it. I'll be backing off my valves a little quicker from now on.

 

[Barbarian]

Thanks guys, now more questions. Sorry if these seem silly or anal but I am curious and want to cook good Q. One reason I want to use a UDS is I get 40-60 degree differences in my horizontal offset from the firebox to the exhaust stack and have to watch the meat closer and move the meat around more often then I would prefer and I thought the UDS would hopefully have a more even temp spread. So,
1. Why use the pit thermometers?
Sounds like a remote to the center of the cooking grate would be all that is needed. Adjust the air intake to get the center at the right temp and go from there. Maybe putting the remote probe on the underside of the cooking grate, but wonder about the drippings dripping on the probe.

2. Does this 50 degree difference mean the center will cook faster and the meat needs to be scooted out more or in towards the center more?
I guess I am worried here because on my offset I have to watch that the meat near the firebox does not get charred or overcooked.

3.Will an 18" diameter charcoal basket get the heat more evenly spread while it rises?
When lighting the fire it seems it would be best to evenly distribute the newly lit coals to the basket so the fire is not centered in the middle of the basket and burning down and outward.

4. Should the exhaust be designed more out towards the edge of the lid and in several places to help equalize the heat?
I was thinking about putting the exhaust right in the middle of the lid and having two handles, but now am not sure.

 

[smooookin]

Thanks guys, now more questions. Sorry if these seem silly or anal but I am curious and want to cook good Q. One reason I want to use a UDS is I get 40-60 degree differences in my horizontal offset from the firebox to the exhaust stack and have to watch the meat closer and move the meat around more often then I would prefer and I thought the UDS would hopefully have a more even temp spread. So,
1. Why use the pit thermometers?
Sounds like a remote to the center of the cooking grate would be all that is needed. Adjust the air intake to get the center at the right temp and go from there. Maybe putting the remote probe on the underside of the cooking grate, but wonder about the drippings dripping on the probe.

2. Does this 50 degree difference mean the center will cook faster and the meat needs to be scooted out more or in towards the center more?
I guess I am worried here because on my offset I have to watch that the meat near the firebox does not get charred or overcooked.

3.Will an 18" diameter charcoal basket get the heat more evenly spread while it rises?
When lighting the fire it seems it would be best to evenly distribute the newly lit coals to the basket so the fire is not centered in the middle of the basket and burning down and outward.

4. Should the exhaust be designed more out towards the edge of the lid and in several places to help equalize the heat?
I was thinking about putting the exhaust right in the middle of the lid and having two handles, but now am not sure.

You already know how I use my probes, thru a piece of wood next to the meat.
I would think a wider "ring of fire" would heat more evenly

The exhaust brings an interesting point. with my exstention I basicallt have two 2 in exhaust openings and the temp control is no problem. The XXL is say 10 inches taller but has only one 4 in opening in the center and is being a pain in the arse. I am thinking you might be on to something here Jerry.

 

[chinesebob]

I have temp sensors that I put on my grill and it is @ 30-50 degree delta between gauge and closer to center (directly over fire). I think this is why a lot of people say the drums cook faster. I shoot for about 200 on my gauge when I cook.

That's good to know. I did a butt and a CAB last night/this morning and it was done in 10 hours. That's with it being 30 degrees out. I have a 16 inch grate with 5 inch sides and it cooked even and good the whole time. 85% charcaol and 15% apple and cherry.

With what happened last month and everything I learned from everyone's posts about fire control it's changed the way I burn. Before it was the opposite ratio.

My remotes were 12.99 Woot.com specials and already broke. I'm going to start investing in better ones, one at a time so I can do the same.

 

[sampson]

4. Should the exhaust be designed more out towards the edge of the lid and in several places to help equalize the heat?
I was thinking about putting the exhaust right in the middle of the lid and having two handles, but now am not sure.

This may be why the BDS from Rocky out in North Carolina seems to be so consistent. His exhaust is in the form of eight evenly space holes around the top... My UDS does the same thing and I don't think that I have quite as big a temp diff. from my 4" probe to the center. I'll have to measure it next time I cook.

 

[Smokin Gator]

On one of my drums I use the Weber lid and on the other I have four 3/4 inch holes drilled fairly evenly near the outside of the flat lid. Both of them have the Spicewine temp gauge mounted just under the bottom cooking grate. Before I mounted the gauges I calibrated them.

When I first mounted the I was a little untrusting so I kept using the Nu Temp probes through the holes in the lids. There was a small difference but not much (I don't remember exactly how much). I have gotten to where I trust the SW gauge and no longer use the probes except for the meat.

BTW... I use the Minion method in an 18 inch diameter fire ring. It seems to burn so slowly that I cannot image there being a 50 or so degree difference between the middle of the cooking grate and the outside of the cooking grate.

 

[CritterCook]

Where is the cheapest place to get those maverick duel probe thermometers? Ebay has them for about 50 bucks. Is that reasonable?

 

[chinesebob]

This may be why the BDS from Rocky out in North Carolina seems to be so consistent. His exhaust is in the form of eight evenly space holes around the top... My UDS does the same thing and I don't think that I have quite as big a temp diff. from my 4" probe to the center. I'll have to measure it next time I cook.

I think it's some kind of law of physics that says that heat rises to the point of escape or something like that. I can completely see how it would manage the heat distribution especially if it were spaced and managed in such a way. But that could turn into a lot of work. Without buying a lot of fancy equipment I'm thinking about setting up my laptop one night with the webcam on the smoker and have it take video for 5 minutes at a time. One in the middle and then the spicewine.

But here I go again down that over thinking the problem....

 

[Dakaty]

ikitchen.com has the Maverick et 73 for $40 + ship. They recently had a 5% discount promotion.

 

[Meat Burner]

Lots of options from the brethren here. Whatever you go with, get a surface therm, mine is a Maverik for about $15.00, to measure the grate temp. Really important in that every smoker has its own cooking zone and temps. Then you will know what the side or top mount gauge reads. Just my $.02.